Tris Reid-Smith is, of course, correct to urge Tony Blair to fulfil his election pledge to repeal Section 28 (Letters, April 4).
However, he is wrong to assert that teachers are prevented from discussing homosexuality in schools.
Section 28 of the Local Government Act of 1988 made it illegal for local authorities intentionally to promote homosexuality or publish material with the intention of promoting homosexuality or to promote the teaching
in any maintained school of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship.
The Act does not apply to individual teachers or schools. Moreover, not a single LEA has been prosecuted under Section 28. Its power has been mainly symbolic in making teachers wary of challenging homophobic bullying and of promoting sexual equality.
The advice of the NUT is that, provided teachers follow union advice and their school governors' policy on sex education, the process of
educating against prejudice and discrimination is clearly within the law.
-Dr Mike Cole, Freshfield Road, Brighton
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